1. Technical Field
This invention relates to snow-melting devices and, more particularly, to a telescopic heat-generating mat to melt snow and ice from a person's shoes.
2. Prior Art
The use of snow melting devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, Snow melting devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Heating elements have been used in the past to warm walkways and driving surfaces to prevent the accumulation of snow and ice. In general, these devices are relatively portable and are storable when not in use. However, all of these prior art devices have various shortcomings. For example, some devices require the use of large quantities of electrical energy to heat and maintain a temperature sufficient to melt a relatively small surface area of ice and snow. Other devices have designs that are impractical for exterior use and poses safety concerns including a potential shock hazard and short circuiting of the device, if it becomes submerged in melted snow and ice.
In addition, further devices that are made up of individual tubes are impractical for vehicular traffic. If enough weight is placed on one or more of the individual tubes, fluid flow is greatly diminished, if not completely blocked from a particular section of the device which allows the accumulation of ice and snow on the affected section. In other embodiments, the devices are made up of rigid panels which restrict their usefulness to flat even surfaces and make movement and storage difficult.
Accordingly, a need remains for a telescopic heat-generating mat to overcome the above-noted shortcomings.